Someone To Live For
by BBCBroadway
Summary: After Sherlock commits suicide, Molly dies in childbirth, leaving the child to John. But it isn't some stranger's baby; it's Sherlock's. 15 years later, still living in 221B Bakerstreet, John Watson lives a simple life as a single father. Miriam is growing up, a spitting image of her father. Things are as normal as one would imagine, that is, until they get a visitor from the dead.
1. Prologue

_John stared at his hands, tears blurring his vision, as the heart monitor went flat. The _

_falling and rising of Molly's chest stopped, and all signs of life from her face disappeared. First _

_Sherlock, now Molly. The only people John really cared for-gone. He had not hesitated or _

_asked questions when he got the call from her, asking him to be there. Although he had not _

_seen Molly for the last few months, he knew that she was pregnant. He did not ask who it was _

_with; that was her own business. He thought that it would be a happy ending for her. She _

_seemed so excited. But here he was, watching as the life left her eyes. Nurses were rushing _

_around, trying to do all that they could for her, but he knew it would not help. She was already _

_gone. They stared sadly at John. He watched as they covered her kind, soft face with a sheet, _

_and wheeled her out. He sat there, for what felt like hours, not wanting to realize what had _

_happened. Finally, a nurse walked in holding a small bundle of blankets, and headed towards _

_John. A look of confusion went over his face as she handed him the squirming bundle. A small _

_smile grew at the corner of the nurse's mouth "You're the one she listed as Miriam Holmes's _

_guardian"_

_John stopped, eyes growing wide as he stuttered "What-what did you say?" _

_The nurse arched her eyebrow "You're her guardian?" _

_John shook his head, "No… H-Her name.. Holmes?" _

_The nurse looked at him with confusion "Miriam Holmes" She handed him the bundle, _

_and left them alone. The baby woke with a muffled coo and opened her couldn't be… _

_She was Sherlock's? Sherlock and Molly… John slowly absorbed the information he had just received. He was the guardian of Sherlock and Molly's child. He studied her face and laughed. _

_Even though she had Molly's eyes, every other bit of her face was completely Sherlock. He _

_felt as if though he had been given a piece of him back. _


	2. Chapter 1

The Man with the Blue Eyes

One rainy saturday, John Watson sat in an old dusty chair near the window. He was holding a cup of steaming tea, and seemed to be in great thought. He was thinking about the day his life changed for the better. He was thinking of the day a little green eyed Holmes came into his life. Yes, he had lost his greatest friend, Sherlock, and Molly had died after that but in return, he gained a precious piece of them. Miriam, or Miri as John called her, was his saving grace after Sherlock died. To John, Sherlock was his purpose. His crazy "adventures" kept John on his toes, and kept his soul alive. When he died, John felt himself slip into the depression he had thought long gone. When Miri came to him, it disappeared..he had found his purpose again. He had found someone to live for.

She reminded him so much of Sherlock...thats what concerned him. No one knew that her father was Sherlock; not even Miri. That's how John wanted it. He didn't want her to know her father had committed suicide, or even that he had been famous. So, John changed her last name to Watson, and just told everyone that he had no idea who the father was. It was better that way, but he still felt ashamed that Miriam would never know who her father was. Downing the last bit of tea, he walked towards the door, slipping his raincoat on. It was time to go for a walk, a very long one, to visit an old friend.

Miriam sat, bored, and doodled on her finished homework. Every Saturday, her dad

would go out somewhere by himself. She was never invited along, and it often upset her that she didn't know where he had vanished too. She felt betrayed, and, although she would never admit it, hurt, by his secrecy. She often thought of following him like a spy, to see where he went, but for some reason, she never did. Why shouldn't I? She asked herself It can't be that hard… Besides, I would only see where he went. He would never know he was being followed! Finally making up her mind, she raced out the door just in time to see John walk across the street. She waited a while, till he was out of sight, and started pursuing him again. Miri weaved in and out of the London crowd as she tried to keep up with him but he was soon lost . She turned to leave, but ran straight into a tall man that stood behind her! Stuttering apologies, she looked up at him focusing on his piercing blue eyes.

"I believe your father went that way" He said, motioning to the left. Before she could thank him, he turned and walked away briskly. She started to turn to the left but she stopped, realizing what she had just heard. How did that man know I was following my dad? Her heart raced as she frantically searched for the man in the crowd. Had he been following her? Miriam nervously turned the direction that her dad had gone. She stopped. The curiosity was killing her. She trailed to the left, where the stranger had disappeared, worriedly taking a few steps in that direction.

He was a complete stranger! Her dad had always warned her of the danger of strangers and what-not. She could get into trouble, she knew, and yet… Making up her mind, she ran, dodging in between people, towards the man with the long coat. The wind whipped her hair as she ran, teasing it into knots. He was crossing the street, and she, after waiting a moment, followed him at a distance. The streets were getting busier, and it was hard to keep the stranger in her sight. She ducked around people, desperately trying to catch up with him. No! She lamented. He had disappeared into the crowd. She could not believe that she had lost him! Looking around, she realized how far she had chased him. She didn't recognize where she was at all! Trying to retrace her steps,She turned and ran a couple blocks, only to find herself in the middle of a busier street. Finally, she recognized a street sign, and felt confident that she could find her way home. Nevertheless, she was worried that she would not make it there before her dad came back. His mysterious meetings varied in time from a half hour to over three hours at times. There was no knowing how long he would be gone. She knew that her dad would freak out if he came home and found her gone. He was a great dad, really he was, but she couldn't help but feel smothered in his protectiveness at times. She began to jog home, thoughts of the blue-eyed, dark haired stranger filling her head.


	3. Chapter 2

_Marble Headstones_

John stared at the black, marble headstone that bore the name 'Holmes', not knowing what to say. It was strange, for one to talk to a headstone, but John found comfort in it. It almost felt like he was talking to Sherlock….almost. Sherlock was never one for listening, he only liked people to listen to him. John chuckled, thinking how Miriam had picked up that Holmes family trait. He often got calls home from teachers insisting that he discuss with her that she was not to run the class. Miri argued that if the teachers actually taught, she wouldn't have to. In fact, that was just one of the many traits that she had inherited from Sherlock: His stubbornness, intellect, and curiosity being among them.

Not only did she display Sherlock, but sweet Molly as well. She was kind hearted and beautiful like her mother. Sherlock would have loved that. John laughed again "You'd like her old friend, well...as much as you would ever like a child. She's very clever you know, not like other kids. She's very much like you" John smirked "Well.. she's more tolerable than you" John smiled recalling all the times he had threatened to move out because of his frustration with Sherlock. "I never know what she's going to do next! Once, I found her in the dumbwaiter, spying on a new neighbor!"

A saddened expression grew on his face "I wish you could have met her..Molly too...you both would have loved her so." John sighed, turning from the grave. It was time he got back to Miri. It was time to go back to the real world, and stop talking to headstones, he chastised. He knew that Miriam would find out the reason behind his disappearances soon enough. He knew he shouldn't be keeping it from her so long, but… He just wanted to keep her safe.


	4. Chapter 3

The Second Encounter

It was saturday morning. A week had past since her strange encounter. She had thought about it all week long. Her mind was always filled with thoughts, buzzing like white noise. She couldn't focus on anything else. It was raining outside; heavy clouds covered the sky. Although her thoughts had been focused on the stranger that she met last week, she hadn't been totally distracted from the original mission. She still wanted to know where her dad was going every Saturday. Finally, she decided to focus on that alone, and tried to forget the stranger.

Miriam was hoping that her dad would go on his mysterious errand today, so that she could follow, but she didn't know if he would; in the rain. All she could do was wait. She hated waiting. It was an utter waste of time. She flopped onto the floor, laid on her back and stared up at the ceiling. She groaned. She was _so bored! _"Miriam?" John called up the stairs.

"Yes?" She replied, trying not to sound excited.

"I'm going to go out for a while. Keep an eye on the house for me?"

"Alright dad," She grinned. "Uh, how long do you think you will be out?"

"An hour or so. Why do you ask?"

"Just wondering…"

Miriam sat until she heard the door open, and click shut. Then she dashed to her closet, grabbed her coat, and snuck to the front door. Sher could just see her dad crossing the street. _This is it! I am finally going to see where he goes every weekend! _She opened the door, and carefully propped it open with a stone. She didn't have her own house key, and she didn't want to be locked out when she came back. She walked down the sidewalk to the crosswalk where her dad had crossed. He had just disappeared, walking on a sidewalk that wrapped around a building. She started walking. Everytime she got too close, she would stop and wait until he got further ahead of her.

She tried to memorize the directions they were going so that she didn't could run home later. _Acrossed the street, right, right left, right, left, left. _She repeated the directions to herself to memorize them. He had been walking for about 10 minutes, and she followed close behind. He turned left, and crossed the street, crossing right before the light turned. She didn't have time to get across. She knew that she should wait for the light to turn, but her dad was getting away! She could lose him again! She looked left and right, carefully timing her run. She dashed across the street. She looked around for her dad. _Bloody Hell. _She couldn't see him anywhere! She dashed a bit to the right, scanning for him, and then to the left. This was just brilliant. She couldn't follow someone for _10 minutes_ without completely screwing up! She collapsed on a park bench. _Great, _she thought. _She lost her dad, 10 minutes from home, and now it was raining. Life sucks. _She heaved a sigh, and observed the dark clouds. It looked as if a downpour was coming. She should get home, so that she had time to dry off before he came back. She prepared to get up, right as a man, with a long dark coat, and striking blue eyes, sat down next to her.


End file.
